Moraco Challenge

Boost the impact of your gift while helping recruit and retain top talent for Virginia Tech Engineering

Join the Moraco Challenge

The Moraco Challenge is positioning the college to create lasting support for junior faculty and graduate students through endowed fellowships. Tony ’82, M.S. ’84 and Cathy Moraco are encouraging their fellow Hokie alums and donors to join in on this initiative through their $1 million gift. These fellowships can play a critical role in bringing the best and brightest in the field of engineering to Virginia Tech, supporting academic advancement and exploration, and keeping quality researchers and instructors at the university.

What makes the Moraco Challenge unique

• Rather than the typical $250,000 required to endow, donors make a $200,000 pledge over five years — a 20 percent savings.
• The Moraco’s $1 million commitment provides the additional $50,000 toward each endowment.
• To award funds immediately, $10,000 of the donors’ first pledge payment is allocated toward current-use funds.
• The donors receive recognition for their choice of a named faculty fellowship or graduate fellowship endowed fund from day one.

Endowments remaining

• Six of the 19 available endowments have been established — all of which have been awarded or have nominations contingent on the Board of Visitors’ approval. 
• Thirteen fellowships are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Meet the donors

If you’d like to learn more about the Moraco Challenge or faculty and graduate student fellowships in the College of Engineering, please contact Director of Development Emily Hutchins at ehutch@vt.edu or 540-231-4066.